Die members



Dec. 25, 1956 A. c. GANGLOFF 2,775,301

DIE MEMBERS Filed Sept. 25, 1953 Fig.l

Alb C. Off.

ATTORNEY United States Patent() DIE MEMBERS Albert C. Ganglotf, Natrona Heights, Pa., assignor to Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation, Breckenridge, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania This invention relates to die members for making blanks, slugs and laminations or the like.

The die members as commonly used in the industry are precision machined to shape and size for cooperating with a complementary punch in forming blanks, slugs, laminations and other types of punchings to predetermined configurations and sizes. In usual practice the bore of the die opening in the die member is provided with an angular clearance extending therethrough to aid in removing the punchings from the die member.

In practice the angular clearance in the bore of the die member does not always function as desired. since the punchings do not always drop through the die member. Instead, as the punch is withdrawn from the die member, the punchings often follow the punch either clinging thereto because of microscopic burrs being formed on the punch and deformed about the end of the punch or the punchings spring upwardly under the action of suction of the punch or oil or stack pressure within the bore of the die member. In such cases the punchings distribute themselves over the die face requiring the operator to clean the die face before continuing further punch operations. This problem of spring-out of the punchings has caused untold expense and delay in the production of punchings.

An object of this invention is to provide a die member capable of being used Without any accompanying springout of the punchings formed therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a die member with means for frictionally engaging the punchings formed therein until the punchings are forceably removed therefrom.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a die member having a bore with ribs disposed therein for frictionally engaging the punchings formed therein.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide a die member having spaced ribs extending along the bore thereof from the edge of the die opening without any angular clearance between the outer surfaces of the ribs and the punching formed in the die member.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following descriptionwhen taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation and partly in section of a representative punch press embodying a die member of this invention;

Figs. 2, 3, 4- and 5 are views in perspective of portions of representative split die members embodying the teachings of this invention; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a part of a die member embodying teachings of this invention.

Referring to the drawing, and in particular to Fig. 1 thereof, a punch press It) isgenerally illustrated, it being understood that the punch press 10 may be of any suitable construction for maintaining a die member 12 in position for receiving and cooperating with a movable punch 14. Thepunch'14 is secured in a punch holder 16 disposed to be operated in a reciprocating manner by means not illustrated whereas the die member 112 is supported in a die block 18 which is stationary, being mounted on the frame portion of the punch press 10. The details of the punch press 10 illustrated in the drawing may be more clearly understood by reference to the copending applicatios Serial No. 365,613, filed July 2, 1953, in the name of G. Catulle and assigned to the assignee of this invention.

The die member 12 illustrated in Fig. l is shown in more detail in Fig. 2. As illustrated, only a part 20 of the die member 12 is shown in full outline, the die memher being of the split type such as is well-known in the art and which has a portion 21 shown in dotted outline for cooperating with the part 20. The part or portion 20 of the die member 12 illustrated in full outline in Figs. 1 and 2 preferably constitutes one half of a complete die for the making of E, U or L shaped laminations depending upon the shape of the cooperating portion 21 of the die member, the configuration of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

As illustrated, the die member 12 is provided with upper edges 22 disposed in a common plane forming a die opening in the leading die face 23 and having a configuration and being of a size equivalent to the configuration and size of the punching (not shown) which is to be formed. As in standard practice, the bore 25 of the die opening formed by the inner surfaces 24 of the cooperating portions 20 and 21 of the die member 12 tapers outwardly from the punching edges 22 of the leading die face 23 to the lower or trailing edges 26 of the die member 12 to provide an angular clearance within the bore 25 which gradually increases in size from the size and shape of the die opening formed by the edges 22 in the leading die face 23 of the die member 12.

In accordance with this invention, a plurality of spaced ribs 23 are disposed to extend lengthwise of the bore formed by the inner surfaces 24 of the assembled cooperating portions Zti and 21 of the split die member 12, the spaced ribs 23 having outer flat surfaces 30 which are contiguous with the associated portions of the leading edges 22 of the die opening from which the ribs 28 extend. Thus, the upper edges of the ribs 28 are formed by portions of the leading edges 22 and the outer surfaces 30 extend from the leading edges 22 in a direction perpendicular therefrom to the trailing face of the die member 12. Similar ribs are carried by the portion 21 of the die member 12 which is employed for cooperating with the portion 211 to form the complete split die 12. The ribs on the portion 21 are not illustrated as it is desired to simplify the drawing.

In forming the ribs 22 on the cooperating portions 20 and 21 of the die member 12, the ribs on such cooperating parts need not be opposite one another but may be staggered or disposed in any other desired manner. Further, the outer surfaces 31) of such ribs need not be of great size, it being found in practice that ribs having an outer surface 32 of a width from inch to inch are satisfactory for the purpose of this invention as will be described hereinafter. When the ribs 28 are formed with their outer surfaces 30 disposed in planes common to the associated portions of the leading edges 22 of the die opening from which the associated ribs 28 extend, there is no angular clearance between the outer surfaces 30 of the cooperating spaced ribs 28 and the punching formed in the die member 12.

In forming the die member 12, the ribs 28 may be machined in position within the bore 25 formed by the cooperating portions 20 and 21 of the split die member. Where this invention is to be applied to existing die members, the ribs 28 can be machined separately andthen be dovetailed as illustrated in Fig. 6 into the existing die member so that the outer surface 30 of each rib is in a plane common to the associated portion of the edge 22 of the die opening from which the rib 28 extends, the lower or trailing edge 26 being illustrated in dotted outline to show the angular clearance referred to hereinbefore.

In order to illustrate the formation of the ribs 28 on other types of dies, reference may be had to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 which illustrate one portion only of different split die members for forming respectively a stator punching and two types of bushing punchings. In all cases, the portions 20 of the die members illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 have been formed .so that the bore surfaces 24 thereof are tapered from .the leading edges 22 to the trailing edges 26 to form the angular clearance in the bore of the resulting die as previously recommended by those skilled in the art, but the surface 24 of each portion 2 5 is provided with a rib 28 formed in the manner previously described with reference to the embodiment of Fig. 2. The cooperating portion (not shown) of such die members is also formed with a corresponding rib on its bore surface. Thus, in all cases, as the portion 20 of each of the split die members 12 is assembled with its cooperating portion (not shown) to form the die member to be mounted in the punch press 10, the die member 12 is provided with a bore having at least one of the spaced ribs 28 on each of the cooperating portions 20 and 21 of the die extending from the leading die face 23 through the bore 25 to the trailing die face with the outer surface of each of the ribs 28 being contiguous with a leading edge 22 and in a plane common thereto but extending perpendicular from the plane of the leading die face 23.

Where a split die member 12 formed as described hereinbefore with the spaced ribs 28 extending through the bore thereof is mounted in the die block 18 and a cooperating punch 14 is provided in the punch press 10, then as the punch press 10 is operated to form punchings (not shown) having the configuration and size of the die opening in the leading die face of the die member 12, it is found that the punchings are stacked and retained in the bore 25 of the die member 12 by reason of the frictional engagement of the outer surfaces 30 of the spaced ribs 28 with the edges of the punchings formed in such die member. In all cases Where this invention has been used, it is found that the flat outer surfaces 3% of the ribs 23 provide suhicient frictional engagement with the punchings (not shown) formed in the die member 12 so that suction, oil or stacker pressure cannot force the punchings so formed up onto the leading die face 23. Instead, the punchings formed in the die member 12 of this invention are frictionally maintained within the bore 25 of the die member 12 until forceably removed therefrom as by reason of the build-up of punchings within the bore being forced downwardly under the pressure of the punch 14 or upon completion of a punching operation or run by the use of a blank applied to the stack of punchings within the bore to force the punchings outwardly therefrom.

This invention has completley eliminated the springout or other pop-up of punchings from the die member as the punch 14 is removed therefrom making possible higher production and efiecting considerable economies in the production of punchings.

While reference has been made in the previous descrip tion to blanks, slugs, laminations or punchings, it is to be understood that the die of this invention can be employed in the production of any type of punching known to the industry and where the term lamination is employed in the claims, such term is to be interpreted broadly as to include such blanks, slugs, laminations or other types of known punchings.

I claim:

1. In a die member for use in making laminations, the combination comprising, a leading die face and a trailing face disposed in spaced relation and having a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die face to the trailing face, and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation about the bore of the die opening and extending from associated portions of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face in a perpendicular direction therefrom to the trailing face, each of the ribs having an outer surface disposed in a plane common to the associated portion of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face from which the associated rib extends.

2. In a die member for use in making laminations, the combination comprising, a leading die face and a trailing face disposed in spaced relation and having a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die face to the trailing face, and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation about the bore of the die opening and extending from associated portions of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face in a perpendicular direction therefrom to the trailing face, a pair of the spaced ribs being disposed opposite one another within the bore with each of the ribs having an outer surface disposed in a plane common to the associated portion of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face from which the associated rib extends.

3. In a die member for use in making laminations, the combination comprising, a leading die face and a trailing face disposed in spaced relation and having a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die face to the trailing face, and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation about the bore of the die opening and extending from the edge of the die opening in the leading die face to the trailing face, each of the ribs having an outer surface common with a portion of the edge of the die .opening in the leading die face and extending therefrom in a plane perpendicular to the common plane of the edges of the die opening in the leading die face, the outer surfaces of the spaced ribs cooperating to frictionally engage the laminations formed in the die member until the laminations are forceably removed therefrom.

4. In a die member for use in making laminations, the combination comprising, a leading die face and a trailing face disposed in spaced relation and having a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die face to the trailing face to provide a progressively increasing cross-sectional area therein of a configuration increasingly greater than the configuration and size of the lamination, and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation about the bore of the die opening and extending from associated portions of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face in a perpendicular direction therefrom to the trailing face, each of the ribs having an outer surface disposed in a plane common to the associated portion of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face from which the associated rib extends to maintain no angular clearance between .the outer surfaces of the ribs and the lamination whereby the lamination is frictionally engaged by the outer surfaces of the ribs until forceably removed therefrom.

5. In a die member for use in making laminations, the

combination comprising, a leading die face and a trailing face disposed-in spaced relation and having a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die face to the trailing face, and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation about the bore of the die opening and extending from associated portions of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face in a direction perpendicular thereto towards the trailing face, each of the ribs having an outer surface disposed in a plane common to the associated portion of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face from which the associated rib extends, the outer surfaces of the spaced ribs cooperating to frictionally engage the laminations formed in the die member and retain the laminations therein until the laminations are forceably removed therefrom.

6. A split die member for use in making laminations comprising, in combination, a plurality of die sections assembled in cooperative relation to form the die, the assembled die sections having a leading die face and a trailing face disposed in spaced relation and having a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die face to the trailing face, and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced relation about the bore of the die opening and extending from associated portions of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face in a perpendicular direction therefrom towards the trailing face, each of the ribs having an outer surface disposed in a plane common to the associated portion the edge of the die opening in the leading die face from which the associated rib extends. a

7. A split die member for use in making laminations comprising, in combination, a pair of cooperating die sections disposed in assembled relation to form a die having a leading die face and a trailing face and a die opening extending therebetween, the die opening having edges in a common plane in the leading die face of a configuration and size corresponding to the configuration and size of the lamination to be formed, the die opening having a bore increasing in size as it extends from the leading die faces to the trailing face, each of the die section-s having a rib disposed in the bore to extend from an associated portion of the edge of the die opening in the leading die face in a perpendicular direction therefrom towards the trailing face, each of the ribs having an outer surface Within the bore disposed in a plane common to the associated portion of the edge of the die opening in the lead- References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dickerman Aug. 2, 1949 Lahr June 19, 1945 

